Ditcher attachment for bulldozer moldboards



July 2, 1957 ROGERS 2,797,505

DITCHER ATTACHMENT FOR BULLDOZER MOLDBOARDS Filed April 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'INVENTOR. Edgiar A. Roger s' I BY I q 4 I 27 W2 d 4 A-I-TQRNEYS United States Patet DITCHER ATTACHMENT FOR BULLDOZER MOLDBOARDS Edgar A. Rogers, Oakland, Caiif.

Application April 14, 1954, Serial No. 423,069

4 Claims. (Cl. 37145) This invention relates to bulldozer attachments, and more particularly to ditcher or ripper attachments adapted to be fitted to various sizes of dozer moldboards or blades, and which provide quick and easy attachment and detachment to such bulldozer moldboards. The present invention provides a substantial improvement of the ditcher unit described in my copending application, Serial No. 266,286, filed January 14, 1952, now Patent No. 2,726,463. I

The present invention, in general, provides a ditcher or ripper attachment for bulldozer moldboards which is easily attached to various sizes of moldboards, and which may be secured to such moldboards so as to absorb the powerful forces to which it is subjected without loosening or breaking or damaging the moldboard itself. The invention includes a simplified arrangement for a rough adjustment for initially setting the size of the attachment and a fine adjustment for securing the device to the desired moldboard. The ditcher is quickly and easily mounted onor disengaged from a moldboard by a simple manipulation of a single bolt. Also, means are provided for the use of various sizes and types of digging points which may be required or found useful in connection with the attachment for the dozer blades. The attachment is adapted to grip the bottom and the top of the dozer moldboard for a secure fit, but means are also provided to prevent the unit from hearing on the cutting edge of the blade, utilizing instead surfaces of the moldboard at points remote from the cutting edge.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is a simplified ditcher or ripper attachment adapted to fit various sizes of bulldozer moldboards. The attachment is easily adjusted to correct size and is then quickly mounted on or dismounted from a moldboard, and it further provides a ripping arrangement which is rugged and securely holds the attachment to the bulldozer blade. A lower grip is provided which has bearing surfaces on the blade itself and not on the blade cutting edge, thereby preventing damage to the cutting edge. A top grip is provided which is adapted to securely grip various sizes and shapes of moldboard tops including the various types of reinforcement thereof.

The attachment, furthermore, provides means for inter-- changing various types of digging points, whereby a single unit may be utilized with various types and shapes of attachable digging points.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and illustration, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective of a device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a modified attachment according to the invention, showing a broad ditching point secured thereto;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of the rocker arm top gripping assembly;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the adjusting bolt holding socket;

top of the sleeve.

Figure 5 is an enlargeddetail of the rough length adjustment device of the ditcher;

Figure 6 is a detail in cross section of the lower grip member showing the bearing surfaces remote from the moldboard cutting edge; and.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wing nut adjusting screw for the rocker arm assembly.

The ripper attachment for a bulldozer blade illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a shank 10 having an angle head 12 which is adapted to extend below a moldboard and to which is detachably secured a digging point 14.. The digging point is secured to the head by means of a pin 15. On the back part of the head is a blade grip 16, which is adapted to grip the lower edge of the bulldozer blade for securing the device thereto. A sleeve 18 is telescoped over the shank 10, and a pin 20 in a hole 22 aligned with a notch in the shank, provides an extension of the shank which is adjustable to the size of the moldboard of the bulldozer on which the device is to be used. A rocker arm 24 is secured by means of a pin 26 to the The rocker arm includes an arcuate serrated rear portion 28 which is adapted to grip the top of a moldboard, and a bifurcate front portion 30 which engages a wing nut 32 on an adjusting screw 34. The ripper unit is adapted to be secured to a moldboard in substantially upright position by placing the lower grip 16 on the moldboard cutting edge and the serrated grip on the top of the moldboard, and by forcing the wing nut.upwardly to squeeze the moldboard between the two grip surfaces 16 and 28.

The rocker arm assembly shown in more detail in Figure 3, includes a pivotally connected arm 24. The serrated gripping edge 28 is adapted to grip the top of a moldboard 40 which is usually strengthened by various reinforcements, such as an angle reinforcement 42 welded on the back of a moldboard 40. The arcuate form of the grip provides means for gripping various sizes and various types of the tops of moldboards. The rocker arm is forced onto the top of the moldboard by means of the wing nut 32 pushing against the bifurcate front 30 of the rocker arm. The adjusting bolt 34 includes a bolt head 35, which is preferably hexagonal or other common type bolt head easily fitted with a wrench. An extension 37 extends beyond the bolt head. A ball head 39 is secured to the extension 37 of the bolt, and provides for free rotation of the bolt within a socket 33 secured to the sleeve 18. The socket provides for free rotation of the adjusting bolt therein, and a slot 41 per: mits the bolt to lay forward out of the way of pivotal movement of. the bifurcate arms. A small bolt 43 .7 attached to the sleeve 18 above the ball 39 prevents accidental removal of the bolt. .The enlarged detail Figure 4 shows the bolt lying forward in aslot 41 out of the Way of the rocker arm. For illustration, the bolt is shown in section across the extension 37. The wing nut 32, which includes a pair of lateral extensions 44 and a threaded passage 45 through the center thereof, is

adapted to engage the armsof the bifurcate section 30,

provided with a series of holes 47 along the top there-. of to give another vertical or length adjustment for the bulldozer attachment. An offset hole 48 in the rocker arm provides still another adjustment; the adjustment providing a lengthening of the rear portion of rockerarm by moving the rocker arm either forward or baelq The combination of the holes in the sleeves and the holes in the rocker arm combined with the arcuate gripping surface permits the. attachment of the device to substantially .any ,type of moldboard. Ihis is an important feature to provide substantially universal. use .of. a ripper unit, since each manufacturer of moldboard makes. a different .type or size,. utilizing differenttypes of reinforcements, etc. Furthermore, the owner'ofthe bulldozer may modify the moldboard to suit-"themarticular jobfor which themoldboardis being used, for example, increasing the reinforcement of the moldboard for certain types of very heavy work. The present invention is adaptedto fit all-kinds and sizes of-moldboardS, and thereby provide a substantially universal device.

The "lower grip "16 of-the ripper attachment includes a front bearing surfaceSO-and arear bearing surface Shanda bulldozermoldboard outtingrbladeSZ-is adapted to fit between the two surfaces 50 :and 'S-L' A slot 53 in the grip 16 is made long enough to prevent-thecutting edge '54 of the moldboard from touching any part of the ripper unit. A ledge 55 provides a seat for the lower edge of the-moldboard-4.0, which, also, prevents penetration of the cutting edge into the slot. The thrust forces of the ripper unit is therefore carried on the front and the back surfaces of the blade rather than on the cutting edge thereof.

The rocker arm and adjusting bolt combination .provides for a time length adjustment of the ripper unit,and provides a simple manipulation for attaching and detaching the .device to. a bulldozer moldboard. By turning the .bolt 34 to tightenor loosen the rocker arm on top of the .moldboard, the unit is subject to .quick and easy attachment or detachment. The rough length adjustment is provided between the sleeveandthe shank to initially determinethe'length of'the devicefor the particular moldboard on which the,unit isutovbe attached. Therough adjustment is shownin Figure 5. 'A series of notches 60 are spaced along the back edgeaof the shank 10, and are adapted to singly register with one of the-holes -61 in the sleeve. Thesleeve islocked in place on? the shank rby -means-of; a pin 20 which isheld in place by a cotter key 21. Usually'thetripper is used with a single bulldozer for a period of time so that itis possible :to roughlyadjustthe length thereof by--registering one of the hole .61 with .a notch 60 -to. give the.desired length tofit the particular moldboard. The rip per may then be quickly and. easily attachedjmerely-by rotating the bolt 34 to. loosen or tightentherocker arm on the-top of the moldboard. When itnis desired to tuse the ripper on a different size of moldboard/the length of .the ripper is very 'easilyadjusted by *movingtheipin 20.to a new location to .give the desired size. The :furtheradjustment of theposition of ,the rocker-armaids in the. initial adjustment of the unit.

The ditcher attachment of .Figure 1 is-shownwith a embodiment, there is.no intention to limit the invention to the precise details so illustrated, except insofar as defined by the'following claims.

I claim:

1. A ditcher or. ripper for quick and easy attachment to a bulldozer moldboard comprising a shank adapted to .be secured along a moldboard face in substantially upright position having a portion extending below said moldboard, a digging point detachablysecured to said extendingportion of said shank, a moldboard edge grip integral with said shank adapted to, seat on said mold board and provide bearing surfaces remote from the cutting edge thereof, plural notches in said shank, a sleeve extending downwardly along the upper portion of said moldboard adapted to telescope over the upper portion of said shank, means in said sleeve cooperative with said notches for adjustably determining the length thereof, a rocker arm grip secured to said sleeve and adapted to engage the top of said moldboard, said rocker .arm having a bifurcated front portion and an arcuate serrated moldboard gripping portion extending rearwardly, and an adjusting screw inclusive of a winged nut for engaging said bifurcated front portion to secure the device on said moldboard.

2. A ditcher or ripper for quick and easy attachment to a bulldozer moldboard comprising a shank adapted to be secured along a moldboard face in substantially upright position having a portion extending below said moldboard, a moldboard edge grip including laterally extending flanges integral with said shank adapted to seat on the lower portion of said moldboard and provide bearing surfaces on the face and back of said moldboard remote from the cutting edge thereof, a ditching point detachably secured to said extending portion of said shank, plural spaced notches along one side of said shank, a sleeve extending downwardly along the upper portion of said moldboard adapted to telescope over at least the upper portion of saidshank, plural spaced holes along one edge of saidsleeve adapted to register one at a time with said notches in said shank, pin mean cooperative .with said holes and said notches for adjustably determining the length of said shank and telescoped sleeve, .a rocker arm grip for engaging the top of said moldboard, said rocker arm having a bifurcated front portion and an arcuate serrated moldboard gripping portion extending rearwardly, and an adjusting screw inelusive of a Winged nut for engaging said bifurcated front portion to secure the deviceonsaidmoldboard.

3. In a ditcher orrippcr attachment for a bulldozer moldboardhavinga digging extension bel.ow.the moldboard and a portion .extendingto the top ofthe moldboard and having a grip engaging the moldboard bottom, the improvement which comprises a rocker arm secured to the upper endof said. portion, said rocker arm having an arcuate serrated rear portion 'for hooking over a moldboard top and'a bifurcated front portioneonisaid rocker arm, an adjusting bolt having a ball and socket connection with said attachment adjacent saidtrocker arm for free rotation of said 'bolt, .and a Winged nut on said bolt for engaging said bifurcated portion :to hold said rocker arm securely against said moldboard top.

4. In a ditcher or'rippcr attachment for a bulldozer moldboard having a-digging point extending below the .moldboard and aportion extending adjacent the :topof the moldboard and having a grip engaging-the moldboard bottom, the improvement which comprises a rocker arm pivotally secured adjacent the top ,ofsaid portion, said rocker arm having an arcuateserrated rear portion for hooking over a moldboard top :and .a bifurcated front portion on said rockerarm, .an adjusting bolt having a ball and'socket connection With saidattachment adjacent said rocker arm forfree rotation :of said;bolt, and a winged'nut for engaging said bifurcatcdportion to hold said rocker arm securely against.saitl moldboardtop.

References Cited in the file1of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 296,333 Jarecki Apr. 8, 1884 904,234 Sievert Nov., l7,19,08 1,137,693 Baxter Apr. 27, ,191'5 1,"877,768 Koester Sept. 20,1932 2,297,677 Forte Oct.6, 19.46 2,497,351 Fletcher Feb; 14, 1950 2,536,308 Pierce Jan. 2,,19-51 2,562,318 Lewis July ,31, ,1 951 

